Creating Loops Quick

For those of you recording in the Hip Hop genre Im sure you have heard the words "2 Track" more than a few times. This has become somewhat of and Industry standard (More like a lowered standard if you ask me) with beats for freestyles and demos. Gone are the days of tracked out beats, Now they take the instrumental straight from and audio CD and "Loop It Up".

Looping beats in Protools is a snap if you have the excat tempo of the track and you can work in grid mode. But if you dont know the tempo and your taking a free stab at it things can get tricky. There is an easy solution.

1. Play the track a few times and get the feel of it.
2. Now once your vibin to the track tap the the "Down Arrow" alongwith the beat.
3. When the are you want to loop comes up make sure to hit the "Down Arrow" on the first beat of the loop, Now continue tapping to the beat but instead use the "Up Arrow. Once again make sure you hit it nice and hard on the down beat of the 1st measure after the loop ends.
4. You will see a selcted area highlighted. Now hit "Apple + E" to make your Region.
5. Press play to listen back to the loop.(Make sure you have looped playback checked)
6. If something sounds off Zoom in and adjust.

After trying this a few times this whole process should take you 2 or 3 minutes.I do strogly suggest for anything serious your working on though that you get a hold of the producer and track out the beat so it can be mixed and arranged properly. Most people dont do this cause they dont want to pay the producer for the beat. If thats your philsophy then your in the wrong business.

Peace
GNX Music
Beats, Engineering and Production